The question from the reader will sound very familiar to this crew:========================================="When I retire, I plan to invest half of my nest egg in a Standard & Poor's 500 index fund and the other half in a total bond market index fund and then withdraw 3.5% each year adjusted for inflation. Is this a retirement income plan that will work? --John, New Jersey"

Excerpts from the answer:========================================="You've got a good framework for a retirement income plan. But before you actually retire, there are a few simple refinements you ought to consider that might improve it, and help you enjoy a more secure retirement in the bargain." The refinements include making a realistic post-retirement budget, checking asset allocation (50/50 may not be appropriate, add international).

"But whatever withdrawal rate you decide to go with -- and these days 3% to 4% is probably a decent starting point for most people entering retirement -- you need to be ready to adjust your withdrawals up or down throughout retirement based on market conditions and the balance of your retirement portfolio. So, for example, if a bear market eats up a big chunk of your nest egg's value, you might want to forgo an inflation increase for a couple of years or even dial back your scheduled withdrawals to give your portfolio a chance to rebound and reduce the risk of running through your savings too soon."

I'm kind of regarding this as a mainstream endorsement, if a lukewarm one, of the plan most of us are planning on following, in some flavor variation.